Warming up a Honey-Baked Ham is not necessary since this ham comes fully cooked and ready to eat. If you prefer a ham that is more than just room temperature, there are several ways to achieve it getting warm without drying it out.
Warming a Honey Baked Ham
Honey-Baked recommends allowing the ham to stand at room temperature a half-hour before serving to get it to its ideal temperature. For those wanting a ham warmer than that, there are several tried and true ways to warm it up and achieve great results.
Oven Method
To heat a whole ham in the oven, follow these simple steps:
- Keep the Honey-Baked Ham in its original foil wrapper or remove the wrapper and wrap with your own foil to prevent drying out.
- Maintain the oven temperature at about 275 to 300 degrees.
- A general time guide is to heat for 10 minutes for every pound of ham.
If you prefer to heat by the slice, simply slice off just what you want to heat, wrap in foil or place in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Then, use the same temperature as above for no more than 15 minutes to heat the slice.
Microwave Method
It is not advised to use the microwave to heat a whole ham. Doing so will cause the outside to melt and the inside to be cold. If you want to heat up the ham by the slice, slice off what you need and heat the slice of ham in 10 to 20 second increments until ready.
You should serve the heated slice immediately after warming it in the microwave.
Skillet Method
Ham slices can also be heated in a skillet. Simply place a slice in a skillet on the stove top set to low and heat on each side until warm. Be careful not to overcook and dry out the slice because this method warms the ham quickly.
Warming Tips
There are several tips to keep in mind that will help you make sure that your ham is properly heated.
- Use a meat thermometer. Since the ham is already cooked, you only need it to be about 140 degrees in the center to be warm enough to eat.
- Avoid repeated heating. This dries out the ham.
- For additional moisture, try placing a shallow pan with water on the rack below the ham when heating.
To Cook or Not to Cook
The subtle flavors, crispy glaze, spiral cut and the perfect tenderness of an official Honey-Baked Ham make it a favorite among many. Unfortunately, many a fantastic dinner party has turned into a fiasco when well-intentioned cooks have tossed the fully cooked ham into the oven or microwave as usual. The oven dries it out and the microwave melts the glaze far before the center is fully heated. Disappointed guests and a much lighter wallet are often the results. This type of ham does not require full cooking, so keep that in mind when planning on serving it to your guests.
